- - - - - 55 - - - - -

-        That number, the subject of a letter received yesterday, caught me unaware.  

My Alumni Association wrote to remind me I graduated from  college in 1959 – 55 years ago.

What?  Was it truly that long ago?  Momentarily I didn’t want to believe their research.

Our class will be included with those receiving special recognition at Homecoming activities this November 2014.  “Please come.  Please bring money.“ 

I want to do both – because I can.

The years have been good to me.

I walk unassisted,

My mind easily recalls,

Those days,

These days,

And my plans for tomorrow.

Class gifts to our Alma Mater

Will help scholars

Encumbered

Meet financial need

Be emotionally free

To give

Unencumbered attention

To learning; to excelling.

A Rockefeller Scholarship helped me

Once

Those many years ago.

It wasn’t a great amount.

It was,

Of great benefit.

I remember,

Oh so well.

To the University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff  (then AM&N College) I am grateful.

"Congratulations to The Class of 1959"

Looking Ahead

I’m frightened.  So, this writing has little chance of being happy or fun.

 “The Assessor” has been going door to door throughout my town.  Their job is to inspect and inform the local Tax Department regarding the ‘current’ taxable value of our property.  Ugh!  The tax rate seems more than adequate to me.

This morning, I sit here waiting for the arrival of  “The Assessor”. How will he/she impact my life, my future budget – shaped with a fixed income?

Several months ago, when the representative of the company, unannounced, knocked on my door, I was shocked.  My beautiful morning (in the kitchen cooking and enjoying coffee with house guests) went down the tubes.  Hired by the city fathers and mothers to do this task for the Township, I had missed any prior notice of the fact.   That bright sunny morning I was far from able to match the pleasant manner of the stranger asking to come in.  I was rude – not verbally inappropriate, but perhaps, eyes flashing, precise talking, vicious similar to a mother bear protecting her cub.  I didn’t let him in. 

Well, the waters have calmed.  Last week I called and easily set up this appointment.  Yet, I for sure, anxiously anticipate the arrival of “The Assessor”. 

Civilization thrives because we adapt to procedures that maintain a good environment for all.  I have no reservation about paying taxes.  In fact, it is a terrific feeling to do so. Supporting government is one of the millions of instances when I realize just how good God is to me.

Still, I’ll be happy when “The Assessor” has come and gone.

The doorbell just rang.  He (or she) is here!

Have a beautiful day!

Eric Holder Quits

I’m appalled.  Well, perhaps not ‘appalled’ but extremely disappointed.  The headlines told me, Attorney General Eric Holder announced his resignation.

U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder will no longer have the Michael Brown (#Ferguson) justice issue to be of concern on his agenda.

Or maybe he will.  Is he disengaging himself from the highest authority for justice issues in this nation so he can be politically untethered, and in Michael Brown’s corner as the case moves into the courts? 

I have purposely not read what his intentions are.  I have purposely not read supposedly learned columnists’ take on why Attorney Holder is stepping down.  I will not taint my emotional thinking with any hint of reasonable cause for his voluntary escape from being responsible for insuring a roadblock of law is put in place to stop the unpunished police killing of unarmed black men in our streets.

Amadou Diallo, Travon Martin, and so many others left this world the same as Michael Brown did.

U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder in his position of high authority was my great black hope for a different outcome than we saw for them.

For me, in this lifetime of mine, all hope is gone.